Mercedes boss Toto Wolff says allegations levied against Red Bull Racing’s Christian Horner concern all of Formula 1 as the investigation enters its third week on the eve of the start of the season.
Horner is the subject of an investigation initiated by parent company Red Bull and led by an external King’s Counsel from the UK after a female member of staff accused him of inappropriate behaviour.
The Austrian energy drinks brand said it is taking the allegations “extremely seriously”.
Horner has denied the allegations.
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The Red Bull Racing boss is the longest serving team principal in the paddock and one of Formula 1’s highest profile personalities.
Wolff said a fair investigation was important for the sport and hoped it would be undertaken transparently.
“What Red Bull has started as an independent investigation — if this is done in the right way with transparency and with rigour — I think is something that we need to look at, what the outcomes are and what it means for Formula 1 and how we can learn from that,” he said.
“We want to talk about racing cars and we want to talk about the sport rather than these kinds of very, very critical topics.
“It is more than just a teams issue; it’s an issue for all of Formula 1 and in general for every individual that works out there.”
RB’s Horner insists ‘business as usual’ | 01:00
Wolff said it was important for F1 to stand up for its values in light of serious accusations of impropriety.
“I think it’s clear what Formula 1 and the teams do,” he said. “We stand for inclusion, equality, fairness, diversity, and that’s not only about talking about it but living it day in and day out.
“I think these are the standards we are setting ourselves. We are a global sport, one of the most important sports platforms in the world, and we are role models.
“Having said that, there is a lot of speculation that has been happening over the last weeks, speculation that we have heard of, and lots of things that are going on.
“I think what is important at that stage [is] for a process with rigour.”
Wolff is the first team principal to speak about the allegations since Williams boss James Vowles alluded to cultural issues in a guarded answer to a question from Bloomberg shortly after the investigation was made public.
Formula 1 issued a statement at the weekend calling for a prompt resolution to the investigation, with the first grand prix of the season looming large next weekend.
Horner is in Bahrain this week for pre-season testing and is scheduled to appear in a press conference with other team principals later today.
Christian Horner denies allegations | 01:01
Governing body the FIA followed with its own statement emphasising its commitment “to upholding the highest standards of integrity, fairness and inclusivity”.
Ford motorsport boss Mark Rushbrook has also weighed into the matter, saying he expects Red Bull Racing to hold itself to “very high standards of behaviour and integrity”.
Ford has entered a technical partnership with Red Bull Powertrains ahead of the new engine rules in 2026.
While no details of the allegations have been made public, reports of a political breakdown inside Red Bull Racing have become increasingly widespread since the middle of last year, including rumours that Horner has ended up on the outer of influential factions inside the team.